diff --git a/src/agents/models-config.providers.ollama.test.ts b/src/agents/models-config.providers.ollama.test.ts
index d9e51c9c5..88466d1cd 100644
--- a/src/agents/models-config.providers.ollama.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/models-config.providers.ollama.test.ts
@@ -5,11 +5,12 @@ import { join } from "node:path";
 import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 
 describe("Ollama provider", () => {
-  it("should not include ollama when no API key is configured", async () => {
+  it("should not include ollama in test environment (no local discovery)", async () => {
     const agentDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "openclaw-test-"));
     const providers = await resolveImplicitProviders({ agentDir });
 
-    // Ollama requires explicit configuration via OLLAMA_API_KEY env var or profile
+    // In test environments, Ollama discovery is skipped and no API key is configured,
+    // so the provider should not be included
     expect(providers?.ollama).toBeUndefined();
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/agents/models-config.providers.ts b/src/agents/models-config.providers.ts
index 0cd034c82..ca9d5a8a8 100644
--- a/src/agents/models-config.providers.ts
+++ b/src/agents/models-config.providers.ts
@@ -446,12 +446,18 @@ export async function resolveImplicitProviders(params: {
     providers.xiaomi = { ...buildXiaomiProvider(), apiKey: xiaomiKey };
   }
 
-  // Ollama provider - only add if explicitly configured
+  // Ollama provider - auto-discover local models, no API key needed
   const ollamaKey =
     resolveEnvApiKeyVarName("ollama") ??
     resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({ provider: "ollama", store: authStore });
-  if (ollamaKey) {
-    providers.ollama = { ...(await buildOllamaProvider()), apiKey: ollamaKey };
+  const ollamaProvider = await buildOllamaProvider();
+  // Add provider if models are discovered OR if explicitly configured with API key
+  if (ollamaProvider.models.length > 0 || ollamaKey) {
+    providers.ollama = {
+      ...ollamaProvider,
+      // Use configured key if available, otherwise use placeholder for local auth
+      apiKey: ollamaKey ?? "local",
+    };
   }
 
   return providers;